Because he’s obviously never heard of it:
Conservative Leader John Tory vowed Monday to look into government funding for religious-based schools. The leader of the Opposition wants to extend public funding to institutions of other faiths, such as Islamic, Hindu, Jewish and Christian.
…
Tory said the move would bring Ontario more in line with other provinces — for a price tag of up to $400 million a year if all the schools agree to teach the province’s curriculum, participate in standardized testing and hire accredited teachers.
But Tory it shouldn’t be done without extensive consultation and thought — so he pledged to bring in the man who initially gave funds to Ontario’s Catholic schools in the 80s.
The Opposition leader said he’d appoint former premier Bill Davis to look at the plan’s feasibility. With the green light from Davis, Tory said pilot projects could begin around fall of next year.
You can only shake your head.
*When you’re in one, stop diggging.
ruralrenegade wrote:
That’s it. Tory’s done. Won’t get my vote.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 5:12 pm | Permalink
Dacre wrote:
He won’t get my vote either. Once you adopt the approved cirriculum you’ve taken away the meaning of having your private school. No doubt everyone would have to get on the promotion of a secular progressive world view. Well probably not Islamic schools but all the rest will.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 6:16 pm | Permalink
Jordan Alcock wrote:
I wrote about this earlier…
sad to say, but i don’t think he’ll have my vote either.
No religion-based schools should be funded with tax payer dollars.
Let the religious, who want to study in a place where their religion is also taught, pay for their enlightenment… i don’t want to.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 6:25 pm | Permalink
Mezba wrote:
Then I suppose you guys would support scrapping funding to the Catholic school board?
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 7:33 pm | Permalink
Joel wrote:
Mezba: Damn straight.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 8:36 pm | Permalink
Mike wrote:
PC Leader John Tory deserves great respect for standing up for principle, in his pledge to extend fair funding to non-Catholic faith-based schools that agree to comply with full public standards. With only 53,000 children affected, compared with over 650,000 already attending fully funded Catholic schools, his initiative is clearly a matter of fairness rather than votes.
It is disappointing that Premier McGuinty has stood up to oppose the provision of fairness for non-Catholic minorities, particularly in light of the fact that his father, the late Dalton McGuinty Senior, was such a passionate advocate for public funding for independent alternative schools, including all faith-based schools. These schools already exist today, and bringing them into the public system will increase integration and ensure appropriate regulation, while solving a longstanding gross unfairness. The families in question pay full education taxes so money is not an issue.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 8:58 pm | Permalink
Steve C. wrote:
He’s lost my vote as well. I can’t believe that this “conservative” leader would be advocating spending hundreds of millions of dollars on something that no one wants.
Those who spend their money on private schools do so because they don’t want to be part of the private system. They don’t want school boards breathing down their neck telling them what they can teach and when. The parents who send their kids to public school don’t want this either because they resent their tax dollars going to faith based education while their kids lose out.
Tory just lost the election, he just doesn’t know it yet.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 9:10 pm | Permalink
Jordan Alcock wrote:
Mezba:
Absolutely… and this is something I have said constantly over the past years.
The reality of the situation is that conservatism is not about excessive government intrusion; and that includes into the areas of religion.
For those who might benefit from this, the downside of the suggestion is that “big brother” would be knocking on the door of these educational facilities.
I’m in favour of less government interference, not more…
And I vote for conservatives who believe in the same.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 9:34 pm | Permalink
Matthew wrote:
Give it a rest Mike,
If John Tory was truly concerned about fairness he’d be adopting something more similar to what Jim Flaherty suggested in the early years of this decade and give parents a tax credit so that they can decide what kind of school their kid goes to, without the help from Downtown Toronto TM.
What Joel is saying with this post is that John Tory doesn’t get *religious folk*. This was obvious from his campaign to become leader in which he slurred morally conservative people every chance he got.
Posted on 23-Jul-07 at 10:57 pm | Permalink
Bob wrote:
Yeah Mike, religious people want to brainwash their kids with 14th century superstition. Stop getting in the way.
Posted on 24-Jul-07 at 6:29 am | Permalink
Mezba wrote:
I would also support slashing funds to Catholic school boards, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. But I am curious, why are you, as a Conservative, so against John Tory? Even though I vote Liberal federally, I think Tory’s a decent man.
Posted on 24-Jul-07 at 9:09 am | Permalink
Bob wrote:
“Tory’s a decent man”
And there in lies our problem. He’s not frothing at the mouth conservative right wing attack dog, like some prime ministers.
Posted on 24-Jul-07 at 9:35 am | Permalink
Joel wrote:
Mezba: Because John Tory isn’t a conservative. He’s somewhat to the left of McGuinty ideologically, and almost as dishonest (i.e. it’s not credible for him to promise more spending and lower taxes than the Libs and claim he’ll make up the difference in “efficiencies.”)
Posted on 24-Jul-07 at 9:57 am | Permalink
McGuire wrote:
The problem I see, as someone not from Ontario, with Tory is that while it is smart to aim for the centre, you cannot essentially say to hell with the base in the process. Many on the right may bitch about the move to the centre the PM has taken, but he has made certain to throw some bones to the CPC base, like defence spending & crime measures. He hasn’t alienated the base, except for the zealots who think that if they do not get 100% of what they want, then their guy isn’t doing a good job. No politician can ever please those people
Posted on 24-Jul-07 at 4:45 pm | Permalink
Tomorrows Trust - A Review of Catholic Education » Blogs Comment on Faith-based Schools Proposal wrote:
[…] Someone should teach John Tory the first rule of holes* By Joel But Tory it shouldn’t be done without extensive consultation and thought — so he pledged to bring in the man who initially gave funds to Ontario’s Catholic schools in the 80s. The Opposition leader said he’d appoint former premier Bill … ThePolitic.com - http://www.thepolitic.com […]
Posted on 25-Jul-07 at 10:27 am | Permalink
Bonnie Jacobs wrote:
Conservatives won’t get my vote.
Tory better brush up on the constitution.
Posted on 23-Aug-07 at 5:19 am | Permalink
Charlee Rush wrote:
He definately will not be getting my vote. It’s thanksgiving day and i just had a visit from a man helping the conservatives with their campaign. When i asked him why he was doing that on thanksgiving he was rude and gave me some lame answer regarding how “everyday matters when you’re running a campaign”. it pissed me off. John Tory didn’t have my vote to being with but now he most definately does not have it. my neighbours are pissed off too.. find another day to pass out your fliers.
Posted on 08-Oct-07 at 10:12 am | Permalink